Tiger Woods took yet another step into golf history Sunday night.
Golf’s best-ever closer hit the magical number — 82 — as in career PGA Tour victories — tying Sam Snead at the top of the all-time wins list.
Woods did it early on a Monday morning in Japan at the Narashino Golf Club.
Darkness extended the tournament to a Monday finish and Tiger had just seven holes left to play with a cozy three-shot advantage over home-country favorite Hideki Matsuyama.
A limited crowd of 4,000 was allowed on the course and the bulk followed the last two groups — Matsuyama played just ahead of Woods in the next-to-last group.
Tiger gave Matsuyama a small opening when his second into the par four 12th came up short in a deep bunker. He failed to get up-and-down for par but up ahead, Matsuyama missed a short birdie putt at the par five 14th while Woods later converted his own on that hole to clear the path for the record-tying victory.
Another birdie at 18 and Woods closed with 67 to shoot 19-under, three clear of Matsuyama.
“This was a lot closer than people probably thought,” said a smiling Woods after his second win of 2019. “Eighty-two? It’s just crazy. It’s been a long week, it was definitely stressful.”
Woods looked back on his career and the soon-to-be 44-year-old, admitted he can do things he used to do on a golf course. “I can’t physically do what I used to do. I can still manage my way around a golf course.”
And he managed well all week with rounds of 64-54-66-67.
Chances are good that Woods will name himself as a playing captain in the upcoming President’s Cup.
As for his spot in PGA Tour history — it took Snead to age 52 to get No. 82. Tiger is 43 and looks like he’ll have the skills to increase that win total. It took Snead 425 events to get his 82nd, Tiger got there in 359.
This was also the first official PGA Tour event in Japan and Tiger is $1.8 million richer and pushed his career tour winnings past $121 million.
It was his first appearance since undergoing another knee procedure and Tiger set the stage for a wide-open 2020.
